Oscar Bonavena vs Ken Norton

Yes, Ken liked to brawl & that could be his downfall. But it would be tough to get by that jab.

 

This could turn into an interesting fight because of awkwardness.

 

Hmm, Probably Bonavena by TKO in a few rounds..

 

Norton UD is the best choice. Norton tended to freeze up a bit vs big punchers. Bonevena was not a big puncher, and was a bit crude.

 

Norton by clear decision.

Bonavena is no George Foreman or Earnie Shavers. He's more of a Trevor Berbick honestly imo.

 

Who knows how two completely awkward SOBs are going to mix? But, really, I'd be highly favoring the much higher caliber guy.

 

Bonavena could punch pretty damn hard, what you guys talking about? Sure he wasn`t no Earnie Shavers or Foreman, but he could sure as **** hit hard enough to rock the iron chinned Ali in their tussle and drop Smokin Joe in their first fight and wobble him a couple of times in their return bout.

While I would favour Ken to win a decision if he boxes smartly and plays it safe, I would not be shocked in the least to see Oscar get through with a big punch, wobble Ken then pounce on him and finish him off with the ref stepping in to save him from further punishment.

I`ll go against the consensus and say Bonavena stops Ken late while behind on points, say via TKO in 9.

 

Ill go with Bonavena too. I think Norton is one of the most overrated fighters in history based on his win over Ali. He had a well known glass jaw and was heavily protected in his prime to avoid fighters who could stop him. He ducked Quarry for years until Quarry was shot, going so far as to avoid even sparring with him when they were in the gym together.

 

Speaking of Quarry/Norton, Jerry really did knock Ken out cold with a left hook in a sparring session early in his career, this was told to me by someone who actually SAW it happen with his own eyes and who was a boxer himself. Ken was out for a few minutes and had to be helped out of the ring apparently by his seconds, needless to say there was no more sparring between those two afterwards.

 

Norton wqould beat Bonavena. because Bonavena did not punch hard enough to stop Norton.

And thats a very big mistake.

 

Tell me who's the bigger puncher, cobb/garcia, or Bonavena?

 

All pretty eqaul, by no means was Bonavena a wrecking machine...or freak of Nature like Foreman, Cooney, Shavers.

Ken Norton could maybe be hurt by Bonavena, but overall Ken Norton was a better boxer than Bonavena. He was neutralising Muhammad Ali, Ken Norton with his boxing skills Neutralised Ali..........and broke his jaw.

Ken Norton took bombs from Larry Holmes, Muhammad Ali and pretty much any other Heavyweight he faced.

Bonavena has power, and maybe if he sustained a rentless attack, he could win......

But Ken Norton willbe lauchning bombs back, and i'm afraid......Nortons Bombs and Skill will be too much.

 

Good fight ! I think that Ken would win,but it would go to the cards.

 

I tend to agree with this..Bonavena was much stronger and rougher than Scott LeDoux, who presented Ken with some definite problems..and all because of that "draggin' his foot in a bucket" handicap of Norton's..and the fact that Ken's chin vs a puncher was a real liablility..and Oscar could punch...any arguments regarding that and I'll say just review Bonavena's bouts with Chuvalo and Frazier. A guys with mobility and a great chin, like Ali, and guys with good cins, like Jimmy Ellis, could get the job done vs Oscar, but Norton's specialty was dealing with guys without the big punch..he was the, to use a medical term, the "antibody" to Ali. Bonavena would havew been a big deal for him because of his great arkwardness, strength and punch. He would have decked Norton a few times before having the referee intervene for a 7th round tko. Norton would have his moments of effectiveness but Oscar's roughness would take over for a stoppage.